Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia, and only the third in Asia, to legalize same-sex marriage.
Hundreds of couples tie the knot in Thailand as the kingdom becomes the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.
The Marriage Equality Act, which passed overwhelmingly in a historic parliamentary vote last June, was ratified by King Maha Vajiralongkorn in October and comes into force on Thursday.
Thailand’s marriage law now uses gender-neutral terms instead of “men”, “women”, “husbands” and “wives”. For the first time, it gives same-sex couples the same rights to adoption and inheritance as heterosexual couples.
Same-sex couples can now also make medical decisions for sick or incapacitated partners, as well as extend personal financial benefits, including state pensions, to their spouses.
Campaign group Bangkok Pride and Bangkok city authorities organized a mass LGBTQ wedding in the Thai capital, with around 180 couples gathering at the Siam Paragon shopping center from 8am to register their unions.
“This day is not only important for us, but also for our children. Our family will finally become one,” transgender woman Ariya “Jin” Milintanapa told the AFP news agency.
Thailand, which ranks high on LGBTQ legal and living conditions indexes, now becomes the third country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, after Taiwan and Nepal.
The bill’s passage marks the culmination of roughly a decade of campaigning by LGBTQ groups to enact equal marriage laws in Thailand. The Netherlands was the first country to legalize same-sex unions in 2001, and more than 30 countries around the world followed suit in the years since.
During a celebratory photo last week before the law took effect, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra emphasized the need to recognize gender identity beyond biological sex.
“Whether they’re male, female or non-binary, people should have the right to identify as they choose,” she said.
“Regardless of your gender or who you love, love knows no boundaries or expectations. Everyone will be protected by the same laws.”
Despite opinion polls suggesting overwhelming public support for the move, much of Buddhist-majority Thailand remains traditional and conservative.
